Expert: Joel S. Teig, DMD, Diplomate ABOMS, retired - 11/26/2006

Question
Hi,  A few weeks ago I had an amalgam filling removed and replaced with a composite filling.  The amalgam filling was quite large and had a crack in it, hence the need to replace it.  A few days after the filling, I started experiencing pain in my lower front gum area and my chin.  It also feels slightly numb and feels swollen but doesn't look swollen.  The pain has gotten much worse.  I can sometimes aleve the pain with asprin, (Ibuprofen doesn't work at all).  I have an appointment tomorrow to get 4 wisdom teeth out, so I am going to ask my dentist about this while I'm there, but I wanted to get another opinion.  Is it possible that I'm having a reaction to the composite filling?  Or is it  possible the dentist hit/damaged a nerve when giving me anesthesia? or something else?   Thanks,  Rosie

Answer
Rosie - From your description of your swollen and numb sensation, I believe that the dentist hit or came close to the nerve that provides sensation to the lower teeth, lip on one side and chin on one side. When an injection strikes the nerves or is adjacent to it, the nerve can go into shock and produce numbness and pain.  With time this should resolve, but occasionally if the nerve was directly struck with the needle the sensations may persist for quite some time and rarely may be a permanent sensation. The permanency is very, very rare.

There isn't much you or the dentist can do, but have the dentist document the reaction and test you as healing progresses.  That way even the slightest improvement can be noticed.

If you have any further questions feel free to contact me again.